A former Milford real estate agent is accused of defrauding investors of at least $15 million in a scheme to purchase and sell real estate through real estate investment trusts, or REITs.More >

A former Milford real estate agent is accused of defrauding investors of at least $15 million in a scheme to purchase and sell real estate through real estate investment trusts, or REITs.More >

MILFORD, OH (FOX19) -

Brenda Ashcraft of Milford, the indicted real estate agent
whose license is no longer active, appeared inside a federal courtroom Friday
afternoon to hear a magistrate formally tell her that she's been indicted
by a grand jury on three counts of fraud.

Inside the packed courtroom were some of the investors who
accuse her of fooling them into entrusting her with $15 million of their money.
Among them, John Gilbert. He's a car dealer from West Chester who accuses
Ashcraft of defrauding him of $535,000. According to Gilbert, everything was
fine at first. He was getting nice returns on what he believed were legitimate
real estate investments. But then, he says, the checks Ashcraft wrote him last
fall started bouncing.

"I was still hopeful, based on her mannerisms, that I was
going to be paid back," Gilbert told us near the courthouse steps after the
hearing.

But he says eventually Ashcraft would say that she was too
busy to talk to him about it and would hang-up on him. He now calls the
investment a Ponzi scheme.

Because cameras aren't allowed inside federal courtrooms,
members of the media were camped-out at both exits of the Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse
waiting on Ashcraft to emerge. As FOX19 was interviewing Gilbert, Ashcraft
finally came walking down the steps with her husband and attorneys.

When we caught-up with her and asked where her investors'
money is, Ashcraft at first said, "No comment."

"I did nothing wrong," she also told us. But she wouldn't
have the last word. As Ashcraft and her entourage continued to walk down
several city blocks, trailed by camera crews, investor John Gilbert was
following, too. And he took the opportunity to ask his own questions and give
commentary on the case.

"I want to hear an admission of guilt," Gilbert said around
Main and 4th. "I want to hear that she is sorry for ruining people's
lives."

"Not guilty," Gilbert said simply.

However, seconds later, her attitude changed. Her voice
became more forceful.

"Where are you headed now?" we asked near a high-rise along
4th Street.

Ashcraft said nothing.

Led by her attorneys, she walked through a revolving door
that spun much more slowly than the minds of investors desperately wanting
answers about what's happened to their life savings. On this day, they got no
answers.

The stepmother of a missing Wichita boy has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, our CBS affiliate KWCH is reporting. Lucas Hernandez, 5, has been missing since last Saturday. Emily Glass, 26, was booked into prison shortly before 3:30 p.m. Police say the child endangerment charges are related to new information in the case. The search for Hernandez remains on-going, according to police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Emergen...More >

The stepmother of a missing Wichita boy has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, our CBS affiliate KWCH is reporting. Lucas Hernandez, 5, has been missing since last Saturday. Emily Glass, 26, was booked into prison shortly before 3:30 p.m. Police say the child endangerment charges are related to new information in the case. The search for Hernandez remains on-going, according to police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Emergen...More >

A restaurant in business on the Country Club Plaza since 1963 will be closing in a matter of days. A spokesperson for the Plaza III Steakhouse says it will close on March 10. No specific reason was given for why it will close. This is a developing story. Stay tuned to KCTV5 News for more. More >

A restaurant in business on the Country Club Plaza since 1963 will be closing in a matter of days. A spokesperson for the Plaza III Steakhouse says it will close on March 10. No specific reason was given for why it will close. This is a developing story. Stay tuned to KCTV5 News for more. More >